


stop asking me [see you cry]

by NerdsbianHokie



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Human Experimentation, abduction and being held captive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 16:13:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15053000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdsbianHokie/pseuds/NerdsbianHokie
Summary: Her entire focus was on keeping her family safe.As safe as they could be, given the circumstances.





	stop asking me [see you cry]

Eliza closed the file. She glanced at Jeremiah’s face as he lay unconscious on the bed. The beep of his heart monitor was the only sign that he was alive.

Barely alive, after she had been brought in - abducted - to save his life.

She had done what they had asked.

But this?

“I won't.”

The laughter from behind her sent a chill down Eliza’s neck.

“You don’t have a choice.”

She spun, glaring at The Man.

He hadn’t given her his name, seemed to enjoy lording the power imbalance over her.

“Do what you want to me,” she said. “I won’t do any more.” She threw the file at him. “That? That is monstrous.”

The Man tsk’d. He picked the file up.

“It’s a shame. I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this.”

Light shone into the room, casting her shadow across him.

Eliza turned.

Her heart jumped into her throat. She stepped forward, pressing a hand to the glass separating her from the next room, which had been dark since they had first bright her in.

Alex looked terrified even as she squinted against the sudden light. Her head jerked side to side, taking in her surroundings, red-rimmed eyes passing over Eliza without pause. Her hair fell aside enough for Eliza to see the fresh bruise wrapping around her jaw.

“You see,” the man said. “It isn’t you on the line.”

“Let her go,” Eliza whispered, throat tight. “She...she’s just a kid.”

He stepped up next to her, Holding the file out.

Eliza took it without taking her eyes off of Alex.

He walked off. The lab door swooshed, then clicked as he locked it.

Eliza pressed her forehead to the glass, fingers curling against it, trying to pass through.

For Alex. She had to do it for Alex.

\---

The counter was hard beneath Eliza’s elbow. Her hair was greasy, tangled in her fingers as she held her head up. She blinked slowly, then started at the top of the page again.

All of the results were returning within successful parameters. Vitals were steady. Numbers were good.

Eliza sighed. She glanced to Jeremiah, still unconscious in his bed, then to the windows past him.

The room was dark. Alex hadn’t been brought up.

Eliza wished she had been. It was easier, knowing where Alex was, what was happening to her.

The last few months had proven that she was more productive on days Alex was in that room, her focus not hindered by worry.

The door opened.

“Congratulations, Dr. Danvers,” The Man said. “We believe the experiments to be successful.”

Eliza didn’t turn to him. She stared at her husband on the bed and the room her daughter was showcased in.

“Your reward waits in your quarters.”

Eliza blinked. She turned her head to look at him, then sighed. She pushed off of the counter, stepping towards Jeremiah. She cupped his cheek, thumb rubbing at his beard line, then bent down to press a kiss to his forehead.

When she left the lab, the armed guard stuck close to her heels. He unlocked her door, and all but shoved her inside before slamming it shut. Eliza looked around for any sort of reward.

Her heart skipped a beat at the person curled up in the small space between the foot of the bed and the wall. She slowly crossed the room, crouching about a foot away.

“Alex?”

Alex’s fingers flexed, digging harder into her arms as she buried her face. Her entire body shook. Her back heaved with uneven breaths.

“Alex, baby, it’s me. It’s mom.”

Slowly, Alex looked up. Her eyes were wide, terrified, but dry. She stared for a moment, two,three, then threw herself forward into Eliza’s arms.

Eliza fell backwards from the force, shifting back so she was sitting instead of crouching, but held Alex as tightly as she could.

She tried to not think of how small Alex felt, of how her body shook, of how limp and greasy Alex’s hair was beneath her fingers, and just focused on the fact that Alex was in her arms.

For a time, at least, she had her daughter.

Eliza didn't know how long they sat on the floor, but she eventually pulled back enough to convince Alex to move to the bed.

She didn't sleep that night, just held Alex close and continued to sing old lullabies long after Alex had fallen asleep.

_Lyalkele, lyalkele ai lo lo  
_ _Dai ma meh vich d’chretz d’zou_

_Lyalkele, lyalkele ai lo lo  
_ _Dai ma meh vich d’chretz d’zou_

\---

“Why are we here?”

Eliza stilled at the question. She turned to Alex, who had curled up in the corner of the bed, back to the wall, knees pulled to her chest.

Eliza crossed the room in two steps. She sat on the bed.

“There are...some things they want me to do for them.”

“What things? Why am I here? Where even is here?”

Eliza took a deep breath. “Your father isn't dead.”

Alex's eyes went wide. She straightened her back as she stared.

“These people found him, and brought him here, and I've been working on healing him.”

“Dad's alive?”

Eliza nodded. She reached over and tucked some of Alex's hair back.

“Barely, but he is.”

Alex stared at her for a few moments. “They aren't just making you heal him.”

Eliza let out a tight laugh.

“And, I'm here to make you do what they want.”

“We always said you're too smart for your own good.”

Alex ducked her head, hair falling forward. “You shouldn't do it.”

“I would do anything to keep them from hurting you.”

Alex let out a shuddering breath. “Where's Kara?”

Eliza's heart clenched. “I don't know.”

Alex looked up after a few moments. “I'm scared.”

Eliza reached out, pulled Alex towards her. She didn't say anything, didn't know what to say. She just held Alex as tightly as she could.

\---

Alex froze in the doorway to the lab. Eliza pulled her through before the guard could shove her.

Her own bruise from that had taken a month to heal.

Alex stumbled, then crossed the room, stopping at Jeremiah's side.

Eliza followed her, watched as Alex's hands reach out, falter.

“He's really alive,” Alex murmured.

Eliza stepped up behind her, setting a hand on her shoulder.

“Is there anything I can do?”

Eliza's stomach turned. “Alex…”

“That sounds like a great idea.”

Her fingers dug into Alex's shoulder.

“I am sure the doctor could use an assistant.”

They both turned. Eliza kept herself between Alex and The Man.

“It's a bit poetic, actually,” he continued. “Mother and daughter working to save the man in their life.”

“I don't want her involved in this,” Eliza said.

“Well, I guess we can take her back to her room instead.”

Alex whimpered, twisted her fingers in the back of Eliza's shirt.

“She'll stay with me?” Eliza asked.

He nodded. “You will have to share the bed, but I'm sure you can manage that.”

Eliza nodded. “Alright, assistant.”

\---

Eliza ran her thumb over the vial label.

_Blood: Specimen 252; Kryptonian_

Kara.

Eliza glanced at Alex, fast asleep and curled up in a chair.

She had been given the blood samples for experiments a few weeks ago, but had yet to touch it. She had been hiding it where Alex wouldn't accidentally find it.

She wanted to forget about it, but the thought of Kara locked up somewhere in the facility plagued her.

And, The Man was insisting she start to actually use the blood in experiments, using Alex as leverage.

Eliza slumped back in her chair, ran her hand through her hair. She blinked, fighting the tears.

A soft moan pulled her attention.

She watched Jeremiah for a moment, sure her ears were playing tricks, then he blinked.

Eliza was at his side in a moment. Her gaze flicked from his face to his vitals and back.

He blinked and blinked and blinked.

Then he focused on her, smile tugging as his chapped lips.

“Liz,” he whispered.

“Hey.” She pressed her palm against the side of his face.

“Did I die?”

She shook her head, laughing lightly. “No.”

He grinned, then grimaced. “What happened?”

Eliza froze, unsure how to explain everything.

“Dad?”

Jeremiah tried to push up, but Eliza held him still with a hand on his shoulder. Alex pressed against her side a moment later.

“Hey, Champ,” he wheezed.

“Alex? Can you go get him a cup of ice chips?”

Alex did as she was told without protest or comment.

Eliza could see the slight confusion at that in Jeremiah’s face.

Eliza took a deep breath and started to explain.

\---

“I don't think we could have raised a stronger kid.”

Eliza hummed, threading her fingers through Alex's hair as the girl slept, head in Eliza's lap.

“She shouldn't have to be,” she murmured.

“No,” he agreed. He fiddled with the mechanical arm on the workbench.

His arm.

“She isn't the only strong one,” he said, looking up for a moment.

Eliza scoffed.

“I'm serious,” he said.

“I had no choice.”

“You held together, you kept Alex as safe as you could. That's amazing.”

Eliza shook her head.

If that was true, Alex wouldn't have nightmares keeping her awake until she passed out from exhaustion. Kara would be with them, and not held in some cell further in the facility. Jeremiah wouldn't have become a lab rat.

If she were that amazing, they would be home.

\---

Eliza felt her entire body start to tremble as she read the file just given to her.

She looked up at The Man, already shaking her head.

“No. No. I won't.”

The Man narrowed his eyes, then smiled. “Well, I suppose that is your choice.”

He turned and walked out of the room, only pausing long enough to give the guard an order.

“The girl.”

Eliza's blood ran cold. She tried to put herself between Alex and the guard, but he pushed her aside, knocking her to the ground.

She looked up in time to see the gun pressed to Alex's head as she was pulled out of the room.

Alex's cries for helps.

Jeremiah's protests from the hall.

Eliza curled in on herself. Her chest grew tight, each breath too light as she struggled to pull any oxygen in.

She jerked away from the hands on her shoulders before the voice cut through the panic.

“Eliza. Eliza. I need you to focus.”

She looked up at Jeremiah.

His eyes, exactly like Alex's.

He slowly helped her up, getting her to sit in a chair, then knelt in front of her.

“What happened.”

“Alex,” she whispered. “They took Alex.” She shook her head. “I wouldn't…can't”

“Can’t what?”

She blinked, glanced towards the file.

“The tests, to give other species Kryptonian powers. They want me to test it.”

“You have been.”

She shook her head. It had been hard enough testing the serums on animals, but this…

“On Alex,” she forced out. “They want me to use Alex as the first human subject.”

Jeremiah’s eyes went wide. His face paled.

He looked up as light flooded into the room.

Eliza stood and spun.

Alex was shoved into the room. She ran right to the window, frantic as she tried to see to the other side.

Eliza pressed against the window.

She didn't notice the guard entering the room until he spun Alex around and punched her in the face.

Eliza cried out, pounded her fist on the glass as Alex fell to the ground.

The guard pulled her to her feet and slammed her back against the window. And punched her. Again. Again.

Eliza slid to the ground, crying out.

\---

The syringe was heavy in Eliza's hand.

She moved to the bed, each step heavier than the last.

Alex watched her, the fear she had been doing her best to hide the past few weeks clear. Her arms and legs were strapped down with thick leather cuffs. The bruises on her face were barely visible anymore, but the newer ones, across her torso, to get Eliza to work faster, were vivid and on display as she had been stripped down to her underwear and bra.

Eliza brushed Alex's newly shortened hair back. She swallowed the bile rising up her throat.

“We're waiting.”

Eliza glanced up.

The Man was watching, leaning against the wall as casual as anything.

Eliza looked down at Alex again.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered.

Tears rolled from Alex's eyes as she blinked.

“I love you, Mom.”

Eliza pressed a lingering kiss to Alex's forehead, then pulled back, turning to the IV and preparing herself to inject the serum.

\---

“It's scary, isn't it?” Jeremiah murmured. “How good she is at that.”

Eliza didn't respond. She made a note in her book as her teenaged daughter ducked under the arms of a man twice her size, then took him out at the knees.

“Did you know it's October?” she asked.

He paused.

Alex threw another man against the wall.

“2007?”

She nodded. “We should have dropped her off at college less than two months ago.” she let out a tight laugh. “And instead, we're turning her into a human lab rat so they can turn her into a super soldier.”

“We haven't had a choice, Eliza.”

“We've had plenty of choices.”

She watched Alex take down a third man, then closed her book and walked away.

\---

Eliza wasn't surprised to find Alex still awake then she entered their quarters.

The lack of access to sunlight would have been enough to throw her sleep cycle off, let alone the nightmares she still got and the changes to her physiology from the serums.

“Hi, Mom,” Alex said, not moving from where she laid, staring at the ceiling.

Eliza sat on the edge of the bed. She cupped Alex's face and gently turned it towards her.

“If I can find a way to get you out of here…”

She cut off as Alex sat up, eyes wide.

“We can get out?”

Eliza brushed her finger over the scar across Alex's eyebrow from an early beating.

“I might be able to get you out.”

“But, you and Dad? Kara?”

Eliza shook her head. “You first. Then find Superman and come get us. Okay?”

“Mom…”

Eliza tilted Alex's head forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“I'm trusting you with this, Alex. I know you can do it.”

Alex nodded. The first tears Eliza had seen her cry in months falling.

“When?”

“I'll let you know.”

\---

Eliza bent forward, pressing her lips to Alex's forehead like she did before every injection.

“Stay safe,” she murmured against Alex's skin. “I love you.”

“I love you, Mom.”

Three months.

Three months since she had come up with the idea and, hopefully, hopefully, it worked.

She lifted the syringe, pressing slightly on the plunger to make sure there were no air pockets, then injected it directly into Alex's arm.

Alex tensed instantly.

Eliza brushed Alex's hair back, wiped the sweat from her brow as she began to convulse. She fought against the tears as the seizure went on and on. The fear that she had been wrong, that her calculations and tests had given her the wrong formula, gripped her.

The fear that she might have killed her daughter.

The disgust at the brief thought that, at least then Alex would be free from that place.

Alex stilled.

Her chest continued to rise and fall.

Her heart beat beneath Eliza's fingers as she checked for a pulse.

Her eyes glowed when they opened.

Eliza smiled. “Go.”

“Mom.” The air chilled at the word.

“Go. It won't last long.”

And Alex was gone, cuffs destroyed, door hanging from it's hinges.

Eliza stared at the door for a long moment before turning to The Man, taking twisted joy at the rage on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> This all started with Syll proposing the idea of "cadmus takes eliza" and I took it and ran a little.
> 
> There will be more. I'm still figuring out how to format it exactly, if chapters or series. Likewise, the actual ships in it aren't solid yet. Obv, I'm leaning Director Sanvers, as I do, but I haven't gotten that far yet.
> 
> Title comes from My Chemical Romance's _Mama_
> 
> The Lullaby Eliza sings is called [Lyalkele](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujnDol_nH2g) and I got the lyrics from sandstonesunspear. The best I've been able to find, at least part of the lyrics mean 'go to sleep, my little doll.'  
>   
> This is also (accidentally) part of my [Pride Prompt thing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14823941), cause I got distracted from that with this, then realized that it works as the prompt I was at, Tears  
> 


End file.
